hi everyone, i hope your sailing season has been nothing but fair winds and blue skies. unfortunately my 1984 c36 is still on the hard. i attemted to change the fuel tank vent hose yesterday and found about a pint of fuel in the line. the hose was running from the tank to the port side down along the water heater under the ice box and up in to the space between the liner and hull on the port side to the vent on the transom. my question is, is this normal/factory. and shouldnt there be a loop and or shurge protector in the line. how dose the line vent air/fumes if it can get full of fuel. any ideas?:)
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James DeBrum
S/V Slip Mistress
1984 C36 #333
Charleston S.C.
jgdebrum@gmail.com
I wouldn't find that alarming. I've always thought of it as more of an overflow hose. Since it has high and low points, and likely got fillled when you fully topped up the tank at some point, some could be expected there. It wouldn't necessarily all suck out when tank level drops. And when you're filling air comes out beside your fill nozzle so that wouldn't empty it either. Why do you think it's a problem?
Ralph Gorby
S/V Silver Flight, 1991 C36 #1153
M35B (2000)
Member, SNSYC
Victoria, BC
hi ralph, i don't know that it is a problem but it seems to me it would be better if it wasn't full of fuel. why have a vent line if it can't vent expanding air or fumes?
James DeBrum
S/V Slip Mistress
1984 C36 #333
Charleston S.C.
jgdebrum@gmail.com
Not only does it vent, but it allows air to come in as you are using fuel. You NEED to clear that vent line or eventually you could end up with fuel starvation.
Stu Jackson, C34IA Secretary, C34 #224, 1986, SR/FK, M25 engine, Rocna 10 (22#)
hey stu, thank you for the imput. what i did is run the hose up along side the waste hose and back down along the fuel fill hose to create a loop. i also installed a surge protector on the up side of the loop. hopefully this fixes the problem.
James DeBrum
S/V Slip Mistress
1984 C36 #333
Charleston S.C.
jgdebrum@gmail.com
Jim,
I think you misunderstood Stu's comments. You do NOT want a loop in the vent line. You want to run uphill from the tank, with no low spots, so that fuel will NOT get caught. Also what is a surge protector? I've heard of it in electrical, but this isn't?????
Tom Sokoloski
C36/375IA Past Commodore
Noank, CT
its called a fuel vent line surge protector. west marine sells them. there is no way to go straight to vertical with the vent line the way catalina set it up.
James DeBrum
S/V Slip Mistress
1984 C36 #333
Charleston S.C.
jgdebrum@gmail.com
I'm at the SF Bay Catalina Rendezvous this weekend. I'll find a friend with a Mk I C36 and ask him.
Oh, NO!!! WAIT. Steve Frost is here. I'll tell him to get right on this issue. :D
Stu Jackson, C34IA Secretary, C34 #224, 1986, SR/FK, M25 engine, Rocna 10 (22#)
thank you stu, it would be great to find a resolution to this delima. im sure many other c36 owners would like to know also. :)
James DeBrum
S/V Slip Mistress
1984 C36 #333
Charleston S.C.
jgdebrum@gmail.com
Stu,
Sorry I am not at rendezvous this year, that was not me you are dancing with.
As for the vent hose, I am uncertain of its exact routing. Fuel in this line is not uncommon, it will not restrict the vent, as fuel is used it just draws this fuel back to the tank.
I have considered a surge valve on my line to prevent fuel from going out the vent on the transom. It is lower than the deck fill and if I top off my tank I will often get fuel out the vent. Again not an operational issue but, not very green and it leaves streaks down the transom.
I believe the surge preventer has a check valve that closes if fuel moves up the vent line, when a vacuum is applied from the tank side it opens and allows the tank to vent and should remain open to pressure or vacuum if no fuel floats the check valve and closes it.
I am making some assumptions as to how this surge protector works as I obviously do not have one and have not dissected one.
Sorry I did not make the event this year Stu I would have let you buy me a drink.
Cepheus dream
C36 MK I # 825
MK I Tech Editor No Mas
A Racor fuel air seperator solves the problem about $100 on Amazon and defenderhttps://www.defender.com/product.jsp?id=133911
Steve Steakley
SNOWBALL
1998 C36 #1711
Seattle,WA
https://svwandrinstar.blogspot.com